Naked Science Forum
Non Life Sciences => Chemistry => Topic started by: Mr Andrew on 10/06/2006 02:55:33
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Does anybody know of ways to make common chemicals at home without spending any money to buy things from a chemical supplier? I'm not trying to make drugs or anything, just maybe some sulfuric/nitric acid or some common alkali metal salts. It would save me a bunch of cash if I could make my own stuff to use in experiments.
Oh, and nobody even dare bring up the Jolly Roger cookbook, that things worth about as much as...NOTHING, IT'S COMPLETELY WORTHLESS UNLESS YOU HAVE A DEATH WISH!!! "Never mind that it could spontaneously combust in your face, try this method!!"[xx(][xx(][xx(]
"His mind is the ultimate weapon!"-MacGyver television series
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I used to do the sort of thing you are talking about when I was a kid
Most of the common chemicals are quite cheap if you can find a reasonable supplier.
To make any chemicals you need chemicals to start with so you must decide on buying some common chemicals
Unfortunately most domestic products are mixtures of many things and this can cause problems with simple domestic chemistry however there are a few chemicals that are sold in a reasonably pure form
Common salt (sodium chloride) is a good one sodium carbonate or washing soda is another one.
There are also things like bleach, "harpic" type toilet cleaner crystals, and oven cleaner pads which can get you some quite strong acids and alkalais.
The making of strong acids and alkalais is very messy and nasty.
Learn, create, test and tell
evolution rules in all things
God says so!
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quote:
Originally posted by Mr Andrew
Does anybody know of ways to make common chemicals at home without spending any money to buy things from a chemical supplier? I'm not trying to make drugs or anything, just maybe some sulfuric/nitric acid or some common alkali metal salts. It would save me a bunch of cash if I could make my own stuff to use in experiments.
Oh, and nobody even dare bring up the Jolly Roger cookbook, that things worth about as much as...NOTHING, IT'S COMPLETELY WORTHLESS UNLESS YOU HAVE A DEATH WISH!!! "Never mind that it could spontaneously combust in your face, try this method!!"[xx(][xx(][xx(]
"His mind is the ultimate weapon!"-MacGyver television series
I don't know that book, so, if I write the same things, forgive me; however these are the only low-expensive ways to produce those acids:
Concentrated Sulfuric acid: boil the diluite sulfuric acid used in common lead batteries, in the open air or under a good fume-hood until you see white fumes.
Concentrated Nitric acid: with a distillator, condense the vapors obtained heating, in a water bath, concentrated sulfuric acid with a nitrate salt like sodium or potassium or calcium nitrate. The nitrate salts must be dry.
Remember that all these fumes are Very Toxic!
About alkali metal salts, it depends on which ones you want.